Internal Family Systems Therapy For Shame And Guilt

"Human beings create and participate in interdependent external systems like families, work environments, schools, and places of worship. In addition to these physiological and external systems, our psyche hosts a complex social system. The premise of this book is that the psyche's social system includes numerous separate centers of motivation with different points of view who communicate by way of feelings, sensations, and thoughts. In this light, we can understand the aftermath of trauma as a systemic response that brings many perspectives to the overriding goal of safety. While others have written about internal family systems therapy with children, in this book we'll be looking at the child parts of adults. In the chapters to come, I show how we can heal from shame-related identity injuries and release young parts from burdened bonds using treatment strategies that any mental health practitioner can learn to use. You need not be trained in IFS to understand my examples or follow my argument"--

Now significantly revised with over 70% new material, this is the authoritative presentation of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, which is taught and practiced around the world. IFS reveals how the subpersonalities or "parts" of each individual's psyche relate to each other like members of a family, and how--just as in a family--polarization among parts can lead to emotional suffering. IFS originator Richard Schwartz and master clinician Martha Sweezy explain core concepts and provide practical guidelines for implementing IFS with clients who are struggling with trauma, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, addiction, and other behavioral problems. They also address strategies for treating families and couples. IFS therapy is listed in SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices. New to This Edition *Extensively revised to reflect 25 years of conceptual refinement, expansion of IFS techniques, and a growing evidence base. *Chapters on the Self, the body and physical illness, the role of the therapist, specific clinical strategies, and couple therapy. *Enhanced clinical utility, with significantly more "how-to" details, case examples, and sample dialogues. *Quick-reference boxes summarizing key points, and end-of-chapter summaries.

Internal Family Systems Therapy focuses on topics common in therapists' practice, and provides both a refreshing approach to sometimes-thorny issues, and clear, practical guidance for how best to explore them in treatment. For any practitioner interested in learning about this vital, vibrant form of therapy, Internal Family Systems Therapy is the perfect introduction. For clinicians already part of the IFS community, this book is bound to become one of the most essential tools in their toolbox.

This insightful new book sheds light directly on shame and guilt--interactive aspects of the human condition that are deeply involved in the development and treatment of alcoholism and chemical dependency. Contributors to this valuable book discuss the process of healing internalized shame within the chemically dependent client and among the family members. They explore creative techniqes that foster understanding and coping strategies--videotaping and storytelling with clay and stuffed animals. Professionals who are experienced in treating chemically dependent clients and their families explore shame and the healing of shame, while examining the culture within which both occur. A major focus is the destructiveness of shame and guilt--shame keeps the family from seeking help, erodes self-worth, and produces destructive secrets that cannot heal, and guilt may circulate freely between alcoholic and family members, so that everyone begins to feel responsible for the pain of others.

Internal Family Systems Therapy: Supervision and Consultation showcases the skills of Richard C. Schwartz and other leading IFS consultants and supervisors. Using unique case material, models, and diagrams, each contributor illustrates IFS techniques that assist clinicians in unblending and accessing Self-energy and Self-leadership. The book features examples of clinical work with issues such as bias, faith, sexuality, and sexual hurts. Individual chapters focus on therapist groups, such as Black Therapists Rock, and on work with specific populations, including children and their caregivers, veterans, eating disordered clients, therapists with serious illnesses, and couples. This thought-provoking book offers an opportunity for readers to reflect on their own supervision and consultation (both the giving and receiving of it). It explores what is possible and preferable at different stages of development when using the IFS model.

This volume combines empirical research-based and theoretical perspectives on shame in cultural contexts and from socio-culturally different perspectives, providing new insights and a more comprehensive cultural base for contemporary research and practice in the context of shame. It examines shame from a positive psychology perspective, from the angle of defining the concept as a psychological and cultural construct, and with regard to practical perspectives on shame across cultures. The volume provides sound foundations for researchers and practitioners to develop new models, therapies and counseling practices to redefine and re-frame shame in a way that leads to strength, resilience and empowerment of the individual.

This book has been replaced by Internal Family Systems Therapy, Second Edition, ISBN 978-1-4625-4146-1.

Transitioning to Internal Family Systems Therapy is a guide to resolving the common areas of confusion and stuckness that professionals often experience when facilitating the transformational potential of the IFS model. Real-life clinical and autobiographical material is used throughout from the author’s supervision practice, together with insights from IFS developer Richard C. Schwartz and other lead trainers and professionals. With the use of reflective and practical exercises, therapists and practitioners (those without a foundational therapy training) are encouraged to get to know and attend to their own inner family of parts, especially those who may be struggling to embrace the new modality. Reflective statements by professionals on their own journeys of transition feature as a unique element of the book. Endnotes provide the reader with additional information and direct them to key sources of information on IFS.